Dr. Jay Schwartz, a pediatrician and fellow with the American Academy of Pediatrics, owns Collin County Pediatrics of Frisco, Texas. In addition to a wide variety of other childhood and adolescent illnesses and conditions, Dr. Jay Schwartz has significant experience treating ear infections.

When doctors diagnose children with ear infections, it means that their middle ear is inflamed, usually due to a bacterial or viral infection that causes a buildup of fluid behind the eardrum. The condition is fairly common in very young children, with more than 80 percent of patients experiencing at least one such infection by the time they turn 3. The condition can cause a host of unpleasant symptoms like pain, trouble balancing, fever, and problems with hearing and sleeping.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most cases of pediatric ear infections do not require antibiotics. In fact, for many children, ear infections resolve satisfactorily without treatment.

Physicians, therefore, may take a wait-and-see approach before deciding whether or not to prescribe antibiotics or pursue other options. In the meantime, parents can administer appropriate over-the-counter treatments or home remedies to alleviate their children’s symptoms.

Dr. Jay Schwartz provides preventative care like vaccinations and other medical services to children through Collin County Pediatrics of Frisco, Texas. To train for his career as pediatrician, Dr. Jay Schwartz secured his MD at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

During the first 15 months of infants’ lives, doctors recommend that they receive a regimen of vaccinations that prevent serious illnesses. Immunization starts so early in a child’s life to ensure they are protected before they come into contact with disease.

The initial immunization schedule begins at birth, when newborns receive their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. Starting at about two months old, infants then get a series of vaccinations for conditions like the flu, diphtheria, and polio.

Vaccines may cause mild side effects such as fever and soreness at the site of the injection. These usually go away within 48 hours. Research demonstrates that vaccinations are quite safe and that there is no link between vaccinations and conditions like autism.

For more information about childhood vaccination, please visit cdc.gov.